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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686152">Salt Circles and Hot Chocolate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardsandNoble/pseuds/BardsandNoble'>BardsandNoble</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dalton Academy Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Canonical Character Death, Hurt/Comfort, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:48:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24686152</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BardsandNoble/pseuds/BardsandNoble</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>&lt;3 A Dwodd Story &lt;3</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Todd Hendricks/Thomas "Dwight" Houston</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Salt Circles and Hot Chocolate</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I wrote this on notebook paper with pencil in 2011/2012, and I have made NO edits. Enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Todd had risen early this winter morning to edit his essay before classes began. Dwight's bed was already empty. But Dwight hadn't jumped from salt circle to salt circle to get ready for his morning when he woke. In fact, he had barely slept.</p>
<p>Todd spotted his roommate staring out the window blankly. Upon hearing Todd stir, Dwight mumbled half-heartedly, "Don't leave the salt circles," before remaining silent again.</p>
<p>"Dwight?" No response. Todd made his way over to him (minding the salt circles). He sat next to the paler boy. There was lack of sleep evident in his dark eyes. From the looks of it, he'd been crying at some point as well. "Will you tell me what's wrong?"</p>
<p>Dwight turned to look into his roommate's concern-filled eyes with his sorrow-filled ones. "It's just a bad day..."</p>
<p>Todd nodded understandingly, not missing the wavering of Dwight's voice that signaled how close he was to tears. Again.</p>
<p>It was rare that Dwight allowed himself to mourn the loss of his brother. On the day of his death was the one day he couldn't help it. He doesn't ever get much sleep from nightmares about it. Every single thought that was present in his mind was about Alan.</p>
<p>Todd was never good at things like this. Him and Dwight never really had any sentimental moments. And it worked. But Dwight had still been very shaken up lately on account of the events in the burning Art Hall and those that followed. Todd never got the chance to express exactly how secretly relieved he was upon finding out that Dwight was okay.</p>
<p>He didn't express his feelings through spoken words very well. He was a writer. But what he could and felt he should do was help Dwight through actions. "Stay right here. I'll be right back." Todd added reassuringly. Dwight nodded in response through his haze of emotion, or lack thereof.</p>
<p>He ran down to the kitchen. He warmed up two mugs of milk and searched the cabinets for hot chocolate mix. Once he stirred the drinks well, he grabbed a container of cookies that appeared fresh-baked. A note in Kurt's handwriting reading "For Dwight and for Dwight only" told Todd that he must've known about today.</p>
<p>When he brought the warm snack back to the chilly windowsill, Dwight was still staring expressionlessly out across the snow-coated Dalton grounds as silent tears streamed down his face and a music box played next to him. It died down by the time Todd sat down. He knew it was Dwight's brother's.</p>
<p>Todd set down the drinks for a moment. Dwight only then registered his presence. He turned to him with tear-stained cheeks. He looked so lost. And lonely. So Todd wrapped his arms around him. Dwight automatically buried his head into Todd's chest and cried. Todd stroked his dark hair and his heart skipped a beat when Dwight returned the embrace by wrapping his arms around Todd's waist.</p>
<p>When the tears subsided, Todd wiped the remaining ones away. He handed Dwight his mug. He graciously accepted it, and as soon as he took just one sip, he relaxed. When Todd offered him a cookie, he ate it, making him feel even better. He dipped some cookie into the hot chocolate, and it not only tasted fantastic but warmed him up on the inside. He looked over to Todd. He wanted to thank him, but the words wouldn't come to him. Todd smiled caringly at him. He smiled back.</p>
<p>The hunter had to admit that he felt good being close to Todd like before. So, hopping from salt circle to salt circle, he went to his bed and brought back a blanket. He wrapped it around them both. Todd put an arm around Dwight.</p>
<p>Dwight wondered if the gesture meant anything or if it was simply for comfort. To test this, Dwight gathered up his courage and kissed Todd on the cheek. Todd gave him a stunned look that quickly melted into a loving smile. A smile that Dwight couldn't help but return. As Todd pulled him closer into his side, he rested his head on his shoulder.</p>
<p>Todd kissed the top of Dwight's head. They stayed there a long time. And Todd forgot to turn in his essay. He didn't care as he drank the last sips of his hot chocolate. Besides, if he hadn't forgotten about his essay, then the relationship between the hunter and the writer would not have begun that day. And they never even talked.</p>
<p>After all, Todd Hendricks didn't express his feelings through spoken words very well. But what he did do was show he cared through actions.</p>
<p>And it worked.</p>
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